A cheetah cub and puppy have become besties at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The 6-week-old cheetah, named Ruuxa, was selected to serve as a safari park ambassador after he was rejected by his mother and had to be hand raised by zoo keepers. To prepare for the job, the staff gave him a buddy, a 7-week-old rhodesian ridgeback puppy named Raina.

Zookeepers say dogs are therapeutic to cheetahs. Their body language will let the cheetah know there’s nothing to fear, keeping the cat calm.

The puppy will be raised with the cheetah and serve as his lifelong companion.